'Things should be better this year'
The year 2004 was welcomed with joy and hope that it would be better than last year. However, many people fear that this year will be no stranger to ups and downs as Indonesia will hold its general election, and first direct presidential election. The Jakarta Post talked to some people on their expectations and fears for the year that lies ahead.
Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources:
I hope everything will go well. The democratization process, hopefully, will boost our economy. At present, our economy is performing well in fiscal and monetary terms, but in the future, the key is the real sector, such as the energy sector.
I believe that the general election will proceed well and will contribute to creating a conducive climate for investment.
Ratna Riantiarno, actress/playwright with the Teater Koma group:
I have no ambitious targets for 2004. I just hope I'll stay healthy. As I get older, I plan to focus on and spend more time with my family.
As regards the state of the country, everything worries me -- politics, the economy, even our environment ... now, even the weather is unpredictable. I think it's time for all of us to reflect on what has been happening.
For the theater, I hope there will be nothing that will curtail our freedom to express ourselves in the coming years.
Overall, I just want to be optimistic. I hope everything goes just fine. If we think positively, I believe the results will be positive, too.
Achmad Lanti, chairman of the Jakarta Water Regulatory Board:
I am optimistic that 2004 will be better, assuming that the general election passes off smoothly. With the better electoral system we have now, we should have get better leaders in terms of moral quality.
By having good leaders, we will be able to speed up our development in various sectors and improve the lot of the people who have been suffering since the economic crisis hit the country in 1997.
Of course, this would also affect my personal life as I would be able to work harder without disruptions.
What I fear is what will happen if the elections do not take proceed smoothly.
It is possible that some politicians will not be able to accept defeat and start provoking people to do engage in acts of anarchy. If this happens, we can forget about having a better life next year. Our situation could even get worse.
Ernia, 23, is an employee with a telecommunications company based on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta. She is still registered as a student with a state university in Bandung.
My New Year's resolutions? Well, first, I would like to be able to save more money. I have to move to another boarding house because this one is so expensive.
I must also finish my internship and finish school. And ... I want to get a new boyfriend.
I don't know what to say about this country. You are asking the wrong person ... I never pay attention to politics.
Things should be better this year, and I hope they will. However, I might be hoping in vain. Every year, I wish for things to get better, but in reality nothing changes. Everything stays just the same.
-- The Jakarta Post